Tax and Estate Planning

Litigation

Sideman & Bancroft LLP is nationally regarded for its expertise in resolving complex tax disputes. Our attorneys represent a wide array of clients, from individuals to partnerships and corporations to trusts and estates, in cases involving income, gift and estate taxes.

This practice area is headed by Richard J. Sideman, the Firm’s co-founder and a nationally recognized expert in tax controversies.

Expertise includes:

• Audits
• Administrative appeals and collection matters with:
• Internal Revenue Service
• Franchise Tax Board
• California State Board of Equalization
• Civil litigation proceedings in:
• United States Tax Court
• United States District Courts
• United States Courts of Appeal
• Civil fraud cases and liens
• Criminal tax cases, including investigation, trial, sentencing and appeals
• Executive compensation cases
• Income, gift and estate tax disputes
• Innocent spouse claims
• Levy and wrongful collection cases
• Summons enforcement proceedings
• Valuation disputes

Tax Planning

The Firm counsels individuals, families, partnerships, limited liability companies, trusts and corporations in the tax planning process, ranging from federal and state income taxation to estate planning. Our tax attorneys apply their knowledge and expertise not only to the tax issues facing our clients but also to related business and personal issues.

Expertise includes:

• Corporate restructuring
• Corporate and partnership reorganizations
• Minimizing tax costs of U.S. investments for those outside the U.S.
• Real estate acquisitions and dispositions
• Structuring of acquisitions
• Structuring domestic and foreign business transactions
• Tax-deferred exchanges

Estate Planning, Trust and Estate Administration and Probate Litigation

Our attorneys represent individuals, spouses, domestic partners and families in comprehensive estate planning matters. We aid families in preserving wealth and minimizing tax exposure, and we are adept at educating clients and providing them with options for family wealth and tax planning unique to their circumstances. We utilize sophisticated estate planning techniques to:

• create coherent estate plans;
• make tax-efficient gifts to family members;
• protect assets from creditors;
• pay estate taxes and fulfill clients’ charitable intentions, as well as their desire for privacy.

Expertise includes:

• Advice to trustees and executors
• Business succession planning
• Charitable-giving techniques
• Comprehensive estate and gift planning
• Contests of trusts and wills
• Conservatorships and guardianships
• Counsel to private foundations
• Creation of tax-exempt organizations
• Estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes
• Family limited partnerships and limited liability companies to hold family assets
• Income taxation of estates, trusts and beneficiaries
• International estate planning and administration
• Mental capacity determinations
• Trust and estate administration
• Representation in probate court